Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga's "Cheek To Cheek" Number 1 on Billboard 200 | News | Great Performances | PBS Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga’s “Cheek To Cheek” Number 1 on Billboard 200 October 3, 2014 0 Comments Congratulations to Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga! Their collaborative album Cheek To Cheek debuted September 23 and went straight to Number 1 according to the Billboard 200, which tracks the top-selling records across all genres. The dynamic duo, who first sang together on Bennett’s Duets II in 2011, outsold Kenny Chesney’s new album, The Big Revival which debuted at Number 2. The 60-year age difference between the singers helps brings together longtime fans of Bennett’s jazz interpretations and crooner hits of the 1950s and the “Little Monsters” who devour Gaga’s international electronic pop hits. Bennett became the oldest living artist to land a number one album with Duets II (on which Gaga joined him on “The Lady Is A Tramp”) and he’s outdone himself with this record at the age of 88.

Cheek To Cheek is Gaga’s second Number 1 album within a year, following her solo album, ARTPOP. Both native New Yorkers and Italian-Americans, the two beloved entertainers have very different niches but share a love of the Great American Songbook, selections of which make up a majority of the album. People may be surprised by Lady Gaga’s jazz inclination, but she’s been singing jazz since she was a teenager. In a Reddit AMAA Lady Gaga interview on October 3, Gaga writes, “I was in a classic rock cover band at the same time I was in jazz band in high school and doing jazz state competitions.” Bennett praised Lady Gaga’s jazz skills in an interview with NPR . “She’s actually a very authentic jazz singer,” he said. “She’ll turn a phrase, she’ll make it different, because of the moment that she’s singing. And so, what happens is it keeps the songs alive; the interpretations become very intimate and everlasting.” See the two perform the songs live during Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek LIVE! airing on Great Performances as part of the PBS ARTS Fall Festival on Friday, October 24 at 9/8c on PBS.

Tony Bennett - Biography - IMDb Tony Bennett Jump to: Overview (4) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (3) | Trivia (28) | Personal Quotes (23) Overview (4) 5' 7½" (1.71 m) Mini Bio (1) Tony Bennett, one of the legends of jazz and popular music who served during the Second World War and then developed a career spanning over half a century, is now giving another concert tour across the United States and Europe. He was born Anthony (Antonio) Dominick Benedetto on August 3, 1926, in Astoria, Queens, in New York City. His father was a grocer, his mother was a seamstress, and his uncle was a tap dancer. Young Tony gave a singing performance at the opening of the Triborough Bridge at the age of 10. He studied music and painting at the New York High School of Industrial Arts but dropped out at the age of 16. He had to support his family and he performed as a singing waiter in Italian restaurants. During the Second World War Tony Bennett was drafted into the US Army.

He served on the front lines until April 1945 and was involved in the liberation of a Nazi concentration camp at Landsberg, Germany. After the WWII he sang with the Army military band under the stage name "Joe Bari" until his discharge and return to the US in 1946. He studied the Bel Canto singing discipline at the American Theater Wing on the GI Bill and continued singing while waiting on tables at New York restaurants. At the beginning of his career he drew from such influences as Judy Garland , Louis Armstrong , and Bing Crosby among others and eventually created his own style of singing. He also integrated jazz-style phrasing into his singing by imitating the instrumental solos with his own voice. In 1949, Bennett was invited on a concert tour by Bob Hope , who suggested him to use the name Tony Bennett. In 1950, he was signed to Columbia Records and made his first big hit 'Because of You', produced by Mitch Miller with orchestration by Percy Faith . It sold over a million copies, reaching #1 in 1951 pop charts.

His other #1 hits were 'Blue Velvet', 'Rags to Riches', and "Stranger in Paradise" in 1952-54. Bennett was able to do five to seven shows a day in New York to crowds of screaming teenagers. In 1956, he hosted The Tony Bennett Show (1956), which replaced Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall (1948). He continued making recordings with the top jazz musicians of the day and his collaboration with Count Basie brought two albums, with 'Chicago' and 'Jeepers Creepers' becoming popular songs. His landmark concert at the Carnegie Hall in June of 1962 featured 44 songs and was accompanied by an all-star band. The same year he released 'I Left My Heart in San Francisco', which remained on the charts for a year and has become his signature song. The eponymous album became a gold record. Bennett had a change of fortune after 1964, with strong competition from The Beatles and the British Invasion. In 1965, he separated from his first wife, artist Patricia Beech, with whom he had two sons.

The marriage did not work under the pressures of being too much on the road and eventually ended in divorce. At the same time, his first acting role in the film The Oscar (1966) was not a success; he received poor reviews, and the film was lambasted by critics, ignored by audiences and became one of the biggest flops of the year. His singing career took a downturn when his bosses at Columbia Records, worried about competition from The Beatles , forced him to change his image and style, which pleased no one. He left Columbia in 1972. A brief contract with MGM Records yielded no hits, and Bennett was left without a recording job. He married again. He started his own record company and made two highly praised albums with Bill Evans . He moved to England for a while, where he once performed for the Queen. Back in the US, Bennett found only one regular gig in Las Vegas, but no recording deals or concert tours. His debts grew to the point of bankruptcy, and the IRS was trying to seize his house in L.A. By the late 1970s, his second marriage to actress Sandra Grant , with whom he had two daughters, was failing.

He also suffered from a drug addiction, and after an overdose in 1979, he called for help from his son Danny Bennett . Danny signed on as his father's manager, and it turned out to be a smart move. Tony Bennett rejuvenated his career by bringing back his original style, tuxedo and the Great American Songbook. He staged a strong comeback during the 1980s and 1990s, signed with Columbia again, and made two gold albums in 1992 and 1993, and developed a surprising and loyal following among audiences in their 20s and 30s. He also received a Grammy Award, the first since 1962. He again performed and recorded with Frank Sinatra , and extended musical collaboration to gigs with the Red Hot Chili Peppers , Elvis Costello , and k.d. lang among others. Bennet also appeared as himself on MTV's documentary series Unplugged (1989) in 1994 and 2000. His resilience and successful comeback became a sensation in the modern day entertainment industry.

Bennett appeared as himself in the films Analyze This (1999), The Scout (1994), and Bruce Almighty (2003). He has sold over 50 million records worldwide, was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame (1997), published an autobiography "The Good Life: The Autobiography of Tony Bennett" (1998), received a lifetime achievement award from ASCAP (2002), and was the recipient of a Kennedy Center Honor in December of 2005. Honored by the United Nations with its Citizen of the World award, he is widely considered an International treasure. On his 80th anniversary, Tony Bennett enjoyed congratulations from millions of fans from all over the world. In November 2006, Bennett hosted a Gala-party in his honor at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. There he enjoyed live performances by numerous celebrities. The party came to culmination when Mr. Bennett entertained his guests by singing his best known hits: 'I Left My Heart in San Francisco' and 'What A Good Life'.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Steve Shelokhonov Spouse (3) ( 29 December 1971 - 1984) (divorced) (2 children) Patricia Beech ( 12 February 1952 - 1971) (divorced) (2 children) Trivia (28) Well known for hit ballads like "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" (a come back hit released in 1962), and "Rags to Riches" (released in 1954). Was a close friend of Frank Sinatra . Bob Hope suggested Tony change his stage name from "Joe Bari" to "Tony Bennett." On May 20, 2002, he received the Pied Piper lifetime achievement award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. In 2001 he founded The Frank Sinatra High School of Performing Arts in Queens, NY, named after his long-time friend Frank Sinatra . Inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame in 1997. He is an accomplished painter with an art studio in New York City, USA.

Recipient of the 2005 Kennedy Center Honors. Other recipients were Robert Redford , Tina Turner , Suzanne Farrell , and Julie Harris . Despite his hit ballad song, "I Left My Heart In San Francisco," he was actually born in New York. His daughter Antonia Bennett has sung alongside her father since the age of four. Founded, with his wife Susan Crow, the charitable organization "Exploring the Arts". Former New York Governor Mario Cuomo and his wife, Matilda Cuomo, were witnesses to the civil ceremony between Tony & Susan Crow. On Jan. 4, 2007, he sang "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" at the celebrations for the inauguration of Nancy Pelosi as first female Speaker of the House of Representatives. He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 1560 Vine St. He was inducted into the 2011 New Jersey Hall of Fame for his contributions to the Arts and Entertainment Industry. His chance to perform at the Triborough Bridge opening in 1936 was arranged by his uncle Frank, the Queens Borough library commissioner. There he stood next to and received pats on the head from legendary Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia .

When 85-year-old Bennett's album "Duets II" topped the Billboard 200 chart in September of 2011 he became the oldest living artist in history to capture the peak position. The record had previously been held by Bob Dylan , whose "Together Through Life" (2009) debuted at #1 when Dylan was 67. In September 2014 Bennett broke his own record at age 88 when his duet album "Cheek to Cheek" with Lady Gaga also debuted at #1. Signs his paintings/portraits simply "Benedetto", his birth name. In 2011 his Belvedere (CA) mansion--9500 sq.ft / 5 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, 7-car parking) went on sale with an asking price of $27.5 million. With his 15th and 16th wins at the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards--Best Pop Duo/Group Performance (with Amy Winehouse ) for "Body and Soul" and Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for "Duets II"--Bennett captured the record for the longest Grammy participation span of 49 years between wins.

Father, with Patricia Beech, of son Danny Bennett , who is also Tony's manager. In 2011 when he recorded "Body and Soul" with Amy Winehouse for his "Duets II" album, it would mark her final recording before her untimely death. The age gap between both artists was just over 57 years. As of November 2010 he was living in Englewood, NJ, USA. Tony's duet with wunderkind Jackie Evancho on "When You Wish Upon a Star" marked a unique collaboration, considering the age gap between both artists was over 73 years. Sting ("The Boulevard of Broken Dreams"), Bono ("I Wanna Be Around"), Juanes ("The Shadow of Your Smile"), Lady Gaga ("The Lady is a Tramp"), Elton John ("Rags to Riches"), Billy Joel ("The Good Life"), Stevie Wonder ("For Once in My Life"), Michael Bublé ("Just in Time"), Josh Groban ("This is All I Ask"), Céline Dion ("If I Ruled the World"), Mariah Carey ("When Do the Bells Ring for Me"), k.d.

lang ("Blue Velvet"), Christina Aguilera ("Steppin' Out With My Baby"), Diana Krall ("I've Got the World On a String"), Elvis Costello ("Are You Havin' Any Fun?"), Andrea Bocelli ("Stranger in Paradise"), James Taylor ("Put On a Happy Face"), Norah Jones ("Speak Low"), Aretha Franklin ("How Do You Keep the Music Playing?"), Natalie Cole ("Watch What Happens"), Queen Latifah ("Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me")), Amy Winehouse ("Body and Soul"), Willie Nelson ("On the Sunny Side of the Street"), Alejandro Sanz ("Yesterday I Heard the Rain"), Dixie Chicks ("Lullaby of Broadway"), John Legend ("Sing You Sinners"), Carrie Underwood ("It Had to Be You"), Faith Hill ("The Way You Look Tonight"), Sheryl Crow ("The Girl I Love"),- Tim McGraw ("Cold, Cold Heart"), etc. His favorite movie is The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948). Lifelong supporter of the Democratic Party. Nearly died after overdosing on cocaine in 1979. Personal Quotes (23) I only met Bing Crosby once.

He called me the best singer he'd ever heard. It's an interesting thing. When Coretta Scott King passed away recently they had a memorial where they refreshed people's minds about Martin Luther King , and the idea of non-violence. And now in America you're suddenly seeing war movies again on TV--they never showed war movies until recently--and how great it is to be patriotic. It's wrong. The day and age we live in now, it's all full of fear and frightening feelings. It's the opposite of [ Franklin D. Roosevelt ] saying, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself". Now we're saying, "Look out, this is going to happen". We're being told, "Get frightened". This business of machoism is ridiculous. I'm not interested in that. I search for truth and beauty in what I do. [about his military service during World War II] It gave me a social conscience. And the war itself made me a pacifist; I just know that every gun in the world should melt somehow and as soon as possible. But that looks impossible now.

When you're young you think, "What shall I do--the movies, a sitcom?" But that went away. I did Hollywood for a while and had the great pleasure of taking advice from Fred Astaire and Cary Grant --two of the classiest guys that ever lived--and they both told me how to play so you don't get overexposed. Cary Grant told me, "Just do cameos in films, it's the most boring business in the world". He said, "Just go and become a performer in front of audiences--you're alive, they're cheering you". I liked it when they asked [him], "Why did you retire?" and he said, "I got tired of walking on cables". But what's interesting to me is knowing the past masters that I knew-- Frank Sinatra , Louis Armstrong , Cary Grant , Fred Astaire , and I'm really name-dropping here--when they were my age, even before that, in their early 70s, they were very prestigious, but it was very difficult for them to get a film or make a recording.

My son acquired about six months ago a huge contract with Columbia/Sony which goes into millions of dollars for two albums over a four-year period, and then if I do two more after that they'll give me an extra half a million for each album. That's unheard of for someone of my age! He's got it turned around to a point where I've never been more exposed and out there. Last year was the most successful year in my life in show business, and it was also the most tragic, because my sister and brother died. It's just life. [ William Shakespeare ] said that. It's the yin and yang of life. No matter how successful it is, there's always something that says, "Whoops!". I have traveled around the world to Asia and Europe. They show you what they have contributed to the world. The British show you theater, the Italians show you music and art, the French show you cooking and painting, and the Germans show you science. The only thing that the United States, which is still a young country, has contributed culturally to the world is jazz--elongated improvisation. It's tragic.

Fifty years from now people will be bowing to Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker , just like impressionist painters like Monet , who were starving in their day. The Americans don't even know what they have come up with. We all know how wonderful Peggy Lee sings, but let's not forget what a great composer she is as well. [1987, on Judy Garland ] She was the very best there was. In our profession, no one could command an audience the way she did. Of course, she had the most marvelous training. At MGM there were so many people to tell her what to do, how to make the best of herself. Tragic? Oh yes. I sing in Asia and I sing in Europe, and I start singing a Cole Porter song or a [ George Gershwin ] song and the whole audience starts singing it with me. They are America's greatest ambassadors. We have created the greatest popular music that has ever been written and will not be topped because it's not dated. It doesn't sound old-fashioned, it's not old. The corporations will say, "That's old music". It's NOT old music, it's great music and it comes out of the United States.

[on Amy Winehouse ] Of all the contemporary artists I know, she has the most natural jazz voice, but I'm worried about her and I'm praying for her. She'd help everyone by sobering up and cleaning up her spirituality. [at Amy Winehouse 's death] She was an extraordinary musician with a rare intuition as a vocalist. When we recorded together she gave a soulful and extraordinary performance. I was honored to have the opportunity to sing with her. God forbid, if something happened and I couldn't sing well I would just paint for the rest of my life. [on being asked to perform in films] Because I'm Italian-American they were all gangster movies. I didn't want to put my [people] down. I'm the only guy that didn't like The Godfather (1972). I didn't like The Sopranos (1999). I don't like that Jersey thing they've got going. [on the massive rock-and-roll concert scene] When the music executives saw how much money they could make, they went into ballparks and giant outdoor venues. The more people they got, they acted like they're bigger than anybody else.

My answer to them is: " Adolf Hitler had more people than that, and he was lousy". My ambition is to actually sound better as I get older. It's all about meaning it more, giving it more depth. Being genuine. The audience is never cold. If they're cold that means you're cold. You gotta walk out there energized. [ Frank Sinatra ] taught me that years ago. For many years I was told I wasn't doing disco or whatever. I just kept singing good songs. I was turned down by an awful lot of fellows in the record business, who would tell me, "You're not what's happening". I'd say, "Well, it's going to last somehow, I know it". And it did. I feel very gratified for it. You're only as good as your next show. You never know, quite what's happening. You need butterflies. If you don't care whether the audience is going to respond right back at you, you're a fool. The ones who fail are the ones who don't care whether you like it or not. [on painting] It's everything to me.

To have a view on Central Park and watch the four seasons and the great vastness of the sky--it changes every day. Rembrandt said it: "There's only one master--that's nature". It gives me unbelievable subjects to study and paint. [on attempting to categorize popular music generationally] I'm anti-demographic. I never liked it when [record labels] split it up and said, "This is your music, and your parents like something else". I thought that was an incorrect way of treating the public. You know, if you're an entertainer, you're really just supposed to sing to an audience. You don't care what the their ages are. That's almost a Nazi attitude. In the '20s, '30s and '40s, Irving Berlin , George Gershwin and Cole Porter would not have anyone else introduce their songs except Fred Astaire . He was their favorite. The songs were a renaissance in our young country. The public still doesn't realize that it's the best thing that we've ever contributed to the rest of the world. Because everybody in the world, no matter where I go, loves those songs. They know them.

I'm convinced that 35, 40 years from now popular music--what the British call light entertainment--will be called America's classical music. [in 2014] The songs that are written today, most of them are terrible. It's a very bad period musically throughout the world for popular music. The corporations took it over and they want to make so much money and they don't care whether the public likes it or not. They think the public is ignorant, so their attitude is, "Don't give them anything intelligent because it won't sell". See also Tony Bennett Breaks His Own Record, As Lady Gaga Duets Album Debuts At Billboard Number One Spot | Contactmusic.com Tony Bennett Breaks His Own Record, As Lady Gaga... Tony Bennett Breaks His Own Record, As Lady Gaga Duets Album Debuts At Billboard Number One Spot Tony Bennett Lady GaGa The legendary singer has teamed with Gaga for 'Cheek To Cheek', an album of jazz standards. Tony Bennett will be celebrating hitting the top spot of the US billboard charts this weekend, beating his own record for the oldest living artist to earn a number one album.

The 88 year old released Cheek To Cheek, an album of jazz duets with Lady GaGa on September 23rd, and has so far sold over 131,000 copies of the album. The record breaking Tony Bennett The album is the third number one debut in a row for Bennett’s collaborator Lady Gaga, who last hit the top spot with ARTPOP, less than a year ago. For Bennett, it marks his second number one album after he set his original record for oldest living artist to earn a number one, with Duets II in 2011. More: Watch Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga perform Anything Goes live in Brussels Lady Gaga shared her delight on twitter writing, “I’m so proud to have the #1 album in the country, with the greatest guy I know @itstonybennett #CheekToCheek.” The album's success also sees Gaga break a record of her own, becoming the first female solo artist to score three US number one albums in this decade.

More: Lady Gaga "Didn't Want To Sing Anymore" Until Tony Bennett "Saved" Her Gaga and Bennett beat off stiff competition from both Kenny Chesney and Barbra Streisand who took the number two and three spots respectively. Cheek to Cheek is also sitting at the number one spot on both the Jazz Albums and Traditional Jazz Albums charts. I'm thrilled that @ladygaga and my CHEEK TO CHEEK is #1. Lady, you are a beautiful artist! pic.twitter.com/QOIzgEa00m — Tony Bennett (@itstonybennett) October 1, 2014 The Cheek to Cheek album was record over a one year period in New York City and features musicians associated with both artists. The duo will perform together early next year on Sunday, Feb. 8 at The Wiltern after the Grammy awards ceremony. The show will feature the two singers performing with both a big band and an orchestra.

Contactmusic Tony Bennett Becomes Oldest Living Artist to Top Billboard 200 | Billboard Tony Bennett Becomes Oldest Living Artist to Top Billboard 200 | September 28, 2011 11:00 AM EDT Tony Bennett Becomes Oldest Living Artist to Top Billboard 200 0 0 0 Legendary pop singer Tony Bennett achieves his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with "Duets II," making the 85-year-old the oldest living act to reach No. 1. His all-star collaborations album bows in the top slot with 179,000 sold in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The 14-time Grammy Award winner's previous high on the chart came in 2006, when his first "Duets" set debuted and peaked at No. 3 with 202,000. Bennett has been charting on Billboard's charts since 1951 and notched his first hit on the Billboard 200 six years later.

Until today, the oldest living artist to top the Billboard 200 was Bob Dylan, whose "Together Through Life" debuted at No. 1 in 2009 when he was 67 years old. Bennett's "Duets II" features 17 pairings with such stars as Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Carrie Underwood and the late Amy Winehouse. Last week, Bennett made news as the oldest living artist to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, when his duet with Winehouse, "Body and Soul," debuted at No. 87. Last week's No. 1 album, Lady Antebellum's "Own the Night," falls to No. 2 with 125,000 (down 64%) while Adele's "21" also drops a spot to No. 3 with 117,000 (down 2%). Lil Wayne's "Tha Carter IV" descends 3-5 in its fourth week with 84,000 (down 28%). The second-highest debut this week belongs to Demi Lovato's third album, "Unbroken," which opens at No.

4 with 96,000 sold. Her last release, 2009's "Here We Go Again," opened at No. 1 with 108,000. Her first set, 2008's "Don't Forget," debuted and peaked at No. 2 with 89,000. Bennett and Lovato lead a total of six new arrivals in the top 10 this week. They are joined by rock act NeedToBreathe, Mindless Behavior, Gavin DeGraw and Pearl Jam. NeedToBreathe's "The Reckoning" starts at No. 6 with 49,000 -- the band's first top 10, highest-charting set and best sales week. Its last release, 2009's "The Outsiders," debuted and peaked at No. 20 with 21,000. Some of the sales for "The Reckoning" can be attributed to two high-powered friends of the band: Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber.

The singers -- two of the top 10 most-followed people on Twitter -- tweeted about "The Reckoning" during release week: Bieber on Sept. 20 and Swift on Sept. 24. (Bieber has 12.9 million followers and Swift has 8.2 million.) It makes sense that Swift would alert her followers about NeedToBreathe, as the band has been opening for the singer on her Speak Now tour since it launched May 27. R&B vocal group Mindless Behavior rides in at No. 7 with its debut album, "#1 Girl," selling 36,000 copies in its first week. The teen quartet -- who ranks at No. 16 on Billboard.com's 21 Under 21 list -- will hit the road with the Scream tour, featuring Diggy and New Boyz, beginning Sept. 30 in Augusta, Ga. DeGraw's "Sweeter" lands the singer/songwriter his second top 10 set as it starts at No. 8 with 34,000. His last release, 2009's "Free," debuted and peaked at No.

19 (26,000) and spent just three weeks on the chart. His first top 10 came with his 2008 self-titled set, which bowed at No. 7 off a 66,000 start. The final new entry in the top 10 is Pearl Jam, with its soundtrack to its "Pearl Jam Twenty" film, bowing at No. 10 with 27,000. The companion piece to the Cameron Crowe-directed documentary includes demo recordings, live tracks and rare cuts. It's the band's tenth top 10 album. Pearl Jam is one slot behind the final holdover in the top 10: Jay-Z and Kanye West's "Watch the Throne," which holds at No. 9 with 31,000. Moving over to the Digital Songs chart, Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger" (featuring Christina Aguilera) holds at No. 1 with 233,000 downloads sold (up 5%). Nos. 2 and 3 on the tally are also stationary: Adele's "Someone Like You" at No.

2 with 201,000 (up 1%), and Foster the People's "Pumped Up Kicks" at No. 3 with 177,000 (down 5%). A pair of acts claim double top 10 honors this week, as both LMFAO and Rihanna occupy two slots each in the region. LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" rises 5-4 (149,000; up 4%) while its new single, "Sexy and I Know It," flies 15-6 (139,000; up 97%) as its racy music video continues to make waves. Rihanna's new single, "We Found Love" (featuring Calvin Harris), debuts at No. 7 with 117,000 after only four days of sales. The single was released Sept. 22, while the chart tracking week ended Sunday, Sept. 25. "Found" is the first single from Rihanna's sixth studio album, due later this year.

Meanwhile, "Cheers (Drink to That)," the final single from her previous album, "Loud," slips 9-10 with 114,000 (down 5%). Gym Class Heroes' "Stereo Hearts" (featuring Adam Levine) falls 4-5 (140,000; down 3%), David Guetta's "Without You" (featuring Usher) climbs 10-8 (116,000; up 12%), and Lady Gaga's "You and I" slips 8-9 (114,000; down 6%). Overall album sales in this past chart week (ending Sept. 25) totaled 5.3 million units, down 5% compared with the sum last week (5.6 million) and up 5% compared with the comparable sales week of 2010 (5 million). Year-to-date album sales stand at 222.9 million, up 3% compared with the same total at this point last year (215.8 million).

It is the 18th week in a row where year-to-date album volume is greater than the same time in the prior year. Digital track sales this past week totaled 20.8 million downloads, down 1% compared with last week (21 million) and up 8% stacked next to the comparable week of 2010 (19.18 million). Year-to-date track sales are at 931.4 million, up 11% compared with the same total at this point last year (840.9 million). Next week's Billboard 200 competes with the same week in 2010 when: Kenny Chesney's "Hemmingway's Whiskey" debuted at No. 1 with 183,000 and Lil Wayne's "I Am Not a Human Being" bowed at No. 2 off a digital-only sales start of 110,000. The previous week's leader, Zac Brown Band's "You Get What You Give," slipped to No. 3 with 70,000 (down 54%).

Tony Bennett | News, Photos and Videos | Contactmusic.com Tony Bennett Lady GaGa Nothing can slow this crooner down. Tony Bennett celebrated his 90th birthday yesterday (August 3rd 2016) and with it came news that he's planning on recording another album with Lady GaGa , with whom he released the number one record 'Cheek To Cheek' in 2014. It's not clear whether this time it'll be original songs, or another covers series. Tony Bennett to re-unite with Lady Gaga? The veteran pop standards crooner reflects on not just 90 years on the planet, but 65 years in the music industry which has seen him win 19 Grammy Awards, 2 Emmys, a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and New York City's Bronze Medallion. His most recent known work is Bill Charlap collaboration 'The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern', but before that he topped the US charts with 2014's 'Cheek to Cheek' alongside Lady Gaga; an album of classic tunes which he hints they might follow-up soon.

Amy Review Excellent As with his Formula One documentary Senna, filmmaker Asaf Kapadia cleverly uses archival footage to explore the wrenching story of Amy Winehouse. It's a strikingly journalistic approach that refuses to let anyone off the hook even as it draws out their deepest emotions. Lyrically edited by Chris King, the film is both beautiful and achingly sad, especially as it engulfs the audience on a big cinema screen. A naturally gifted musician, Amy started writing her own songs at age 14 and had a publishing deal by 16, performing in small clubs as well as with the National Youth Jazz orchestra. At 20, her debut 2003 album Frank caused ripples in the industry with its jazz-infused vocals. And three years later, her follow-up Back in Black catapulted her into global stardom, something she never wanted. To escape the clamouring paparazzi and ever-larger audiences, she retreated into her on-off relationship with Blake Fielder, including a two-year marriage. But their key escape was to use large quantities of alcohol and drugs, which began to take a toll on Amy's career, leading to rambling interviews and shambolic stage appearances.

In her lucid moments, she still had that raw power, and a series of rehab stints helped her conquer drugs. But in 2011, her alcohol consumption finally stopped her heart, which had been weakened by decades of bulimia. Kapadia recounts this story using a staggering array of home movies, performance footage and press imagery, letting her prescient song lyrics play out across the screen as she performs them in homes, recording studios, TV shows and a variety of stages. Meanwhile, she tells her story in voiceover taken from interviews, plus new comments from her family, friends and colleagues. All of this is assembled with skill by the filmmakers to recount Amy's story chronologically, never shying away from the hard truths while refusing to let those closest to her adjust the material to revise history. In other words, it's sometimes brutally honest, not in the way it assigns blame but in the way it creates a portrait of a system that feeds off artists without properly looking out for them.

Lady GaGa Tony Bennett The duo had to pull out of their Royal Albert Hall performances because Bennett had the flu Lady GaGa and Tony Bennett ’s collaborative show that was cancelled at the last minute on Tuesday night will not be rescheduled, it has been revealed. Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett had to cancel their planned show The crooner and his often controversial partner, whose daring outfits have included a dress of meat, had already performed for Prince Harry on Monday; however, it seems like that was all a bit too much for 88-year-old Bennett who put paid to a second night of dueting because of the flu. Lady GaGa Tony Bennett The legendary crooner and Mother Monster took London by storm and even Prince Harry came to have a look. Lady GaGa and Tony Bennett brought their ‘Cheek to Cheek’ show to London’s Royal Albert on Monday evening, for a night of classic songs and old fashioned glamour all in aid of children’s charity WellChild. Gaga and Bennett onstage together at the Royal Albert Hall.

The charity, which supports seriously ill children and their families across the UK, sent along royal patron Prince Harry to enjoy the evening’s festivities and the 5th in line to the throne managed to get up close and personal with the two singers. Lady GaGa Taylor Kinney Tony Bennett The singer, who is engaged to boyfriend Taylor Kinney, isn't ready to start a family just yet. Lady GaGa has found the perfect way to shut down any pregnancy rumours, by publicly declaring that she’s not got a little monster on the way and instead she’s just approaching 30. Lady Gaga is not pregnant she’s just getting older. During a concert at the Hollywood Bowl in L.A. Sunday, as part of her series of Cheek to Cheek shows with Tony Bennett Gaga told the audience , "I'm getting a little older and many people think I'm pregnant but I tell them, 'I'm just almost f--king 30.’" Lady GaGa Julie Andrews Tony Bennett Taylor Kinney Lady Gaga and her ladylike transformation.

Lady GaGa shocked us all by following up her attemptedly avant-garde 'Artpop' album with the tremendously traditional Tony Bennett collaboration of 'Cheek To Cheek', but now she's gone one step further for the 2015 Oscars, with a Julie Andrews inspired 'Sound Of Music' tribute medley. Lady Gaga seems to have some new favourite things... So what's with the transformation? Her outfits have been decidedly low-key compared with her 'Artpop' promotional appearances - which can only be expected if she's bandying about some classic love tunes with Tony Bennett at the moment. But maybe with 'Cheek To Cheek' topping US charts, she's found a more permanent angle in her music career. So what is Lady Gaga into now? Tony Bennett Lady GaGa The legendary singer has teamed with Gaga for 'Cheek To Cheek', an album of jazz standards. Tony Bennett will be celebrating hitting the top spot of the US billboard charts this weekend, beating his own record for the oldest living artist to earn a number one album.

The 88 year old released Cheek To Cheek, an album of jazz duets with Lady GaGa on September 23rd, and has so far sold over 131,000 copies of the album. The record breaking Tony Bennett The album is the third number one debut in a row for Bennett’s collaborator Lady Gaga, who last hit the top spot with ARTPOP, less than a year ago. For Bennett, it marks his second number one album after he set his original record for oldest living artist to earn a number one, with Duets II in 2011. Lady GaGa Tony Bennett Musical superstars from different eras score huge success on collaboration album of jazz covers. One of the less likely musical match-ups in pop music history has caught the public’s imagination. Pop superstar Lady Gaga ’s collaboration album Cheek To Cheek with legendary crooner Tony Bennett has entered the Billboard chart at number 1.

Lady GaGa returns to number 1 in the States with 'Cheek To Cheek' duet album with Tony Bennett The jazz standards covers record sold 131,000 copies in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan, narrowly beating out albums by Kenny Chesney and Barbra Streisand at numbers 2 and 3 respectively. It also reached the Top 10 in the United Kingdom on its debut week. Lady GaGa Tony Bennett Lady Gaga has declared - as if we didn't know it already - her admiration for Tony Bennett. Speaking in a recent interview to promote their upcoming album 'Cheek to Cheek', Gaga claimed Bennett had saved her life earlier this year. Infamously eccentric Lady Gaga and smooth aged crooner Tony Bennett may appear to make unlikely friends, but in recent interviews the two have expressed their great affection for one another and close bond. The pair first met in 2010 and, after releasing a rendition of 'The Lady Is a Tramp' back in 2011, decided to create an album of Jazz covers together entitled Cheek to Cheek. Lady GaGa at Harper's Baazar Celebrates Icons By Carine Rotifield in New York last week.

Tony Bennett’s Duets II #1 on the Billboard Album Chart Pinterest Tony Bennett in the recording studio during the making of Duets II.(PRNewsFoto/RPM Records/Columbia Records, Josh Cheuse) Tony Bennett with Lady Gaga recording "The Lady Is A Tramp" for Duets II.(PRNewsFoto/RPM Records/Columbia Records, Josh Cheuse) NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Tony Bennett's highly anticipated new release, DUETS II (RPM Records/Columbia Records) debuts at the #1 position on Billboard's top albums chart, with 179,000 units sold in the first week. The album has remained in the top 5 on iTunes' album chart in the US and other countries since its release. Digital albums represented 20% of overall sales, the highest for any Bennett album to-date. (Photo: ) Danny Bennett, Tony's son and manager stated, "It's an unprecedented and historical event that an artist at the age of 85 has topped the charts.

He's remained at the top of his game without having ever compromised his integrity and standard of excellence." "The number one success of Duets II pays tribute to the enduring genius of Tony Bennett," said Steve Barnett, Chairman, Columbia Records. "It is a true testament to Tony's artistry that he continues to top the charts while at the same time reaching a broader fan base and breaking new ground." A long-term PR campaign, beginning with the start of the recording sessions in February, fueled robust pre-sale orders that launched on the singer's 85th Birthday on August 3rd. Extensive TV appearances on 20/20, the MTV Video Music Awards, the America's Got Talent finale, The Today Show, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and HSN, leading up to the release, enhanced pre-sales. Print features in the New Yorker, Entertainment Weekly, USA TODAY, The Wall Street Journal, among others, all appeared in advance of the in-store date.

TV appearances after launch included The Today Show, The View, Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Piers Morgan Tonight, and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart as well as a duet performance prominently featured in the season premiere of CBS TV show "Blue Bloods." CBS Sunday Morning also highlighted the new release in their fall music preview. Partnerships with Target, AARP, Starbucks, Tiffany & Co, Godiva, Koss Corporation, among others created extensive exposure in the marketplace. Non-traditional retail outlets included HSN, Walgreens, Nordstrom and Wegmans. Nearly twenty years after making ground-breaking headlines with his "Steppin' Out" video being added to MTV in 1993, Bennett has once again been added across all MTV Networks worldwide with the premiere of the Amy Winehouse duet of "Body and Soul." Widespread listener response to the DUETS II's Lady Gaga and Amy Winehouse tracks across all radio formats has garnered major airplay on Top 40, Hot AC and AAA stations. "Body and Soul" has broken into Billboard's Hot 100 Singles charts.

The entire six month recording process for DUETS II, during which Bennett recorded live with each duet partner in the studio, was documented on film by Academy Award winning cinematographer Dion Beebe. Footage from sessions held in New York, Los Angeles, London, Nashville and Italy was distributed to a variety of online outlets. Clips were tailored, often as exclusives, to iTunes, Vevo, MTV and Barnes and Noble among others, resulting in over 100 million impressions online and will become the basis of a documentary "The Zen of Tony Bennett," an intimate look into the artist's creative process as he reflects over his 60 year career within the context of his latest recording project. DUETS II has received unprecedented response in sales and profile internationally, including the UK, Canada, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Mexico and Australia. An extended campaign was implemented early on in the project to develop and expand awareness and exposure for Tony Bennett and DUETS II through promotional trips, publicity outreach, and concert appearances. DUETS II was produced by Phil Ramone and Bennett's son, Dae Bennett.

It features a celebrated roster of many of today's greatest artists--including Lady Gaga, Michael Buble, John Mayer, Carrie Underwood and Amy Winehouse--performing with Tony, showcasing his catalog of greatest hits. DUETS II is a follow-up to Bennett's highly successful DUETS CD, which was released for the singer's 80th birthday, received three Grammy Awards and became his best-selling record to-date. A concentrated catalog campaign was also initiated resulting in DUETS return to the charts, with top five placement at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. RPM/Columbia/Legacy announced plans to release the labels' most extensive boxed set collection in their history. TONY BENNETT: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION features 73 CDs and 3 DVDS and will be available on November 8 exclusively through Barnes and Noble retail stores, bn.com and tonybennet.com . Tony Bennett has garnered high praise with DUETS II. Some of the highlights are below: "Each of the megastar pairings with Tony Bennett on his second disc of duets is momentous" US WEEKLY 3 1/2 stars "Tony Bennett is the oldest artist to ever grace the Hot 100 charts.

He and Amy Winehouse bow at #87 with Body and Soul. He's also taking the crown for longest span. He holds an impressive 53 year, 2 month existence on the charts! Nice! Tony, you're just makin' all sorts of headlines this year, aren't ya?!!" PEREZ HILTON "As savvy as ever at 85, Tony Bennett leaves no box unchecked..." PEOPLE "...constantly reaffirming his position as pop music's greatest living patriarch" WALL STREET JOURNAL "…he's also timeless, popular to at least three generations and in many ways even emblematic of this one." LOS ANGELES TIMES "Tony Bennett is as timeless as the songs he sings on DUETS II, which should put him back on the charts for a remarkable seventh straight decade." ASSOCIATED PRESS Tony Bennett | American singer | Britannica.com American singer Alternative Titles: Anthony Dominick Benedetto, Joe Bari Tony Bennett Tony Bennett, original name Anthony Dominick Benedetto (born August 3, 1926, Astoria, Queens, New York , U.S.), American popular singer known for his smooth voice and interpretive abilities with songs in a variety of genres . Tony Bennett.

PRNewsFoto—RPM Records/Columbia Records/AP Images Bennett, the son of a grocer, spent his boyhood in Astoria, New York, studying singing and painting . At the behest of his vocal instructor, Bennett immersed himself in the music of instrumentalists, rather than that of vocalists, which provided him with a solid foundation in jazz . He served three years in the army during World War II and embarked on a singing career in 1949. Bennett’s break came the following year when Bob Hope heard him in a nightclub and invited him to share the stage during Hope’s engagement at New York’s Paramount Theatre. At the time, Bennett was working under the stage name of Joe Bari , which Hope thought was unmemorable. Reasoning that his given name of Anthony Benedetto was “too long to fit on the marquee,” Hope rechristened the young singer Tony Bennett. During the Paramount engagement, Bennett’s rendition of “ Boulevard of Broken Dreams ” went over especially well with audiences and was instrumental in earning him a contract with Columbia Records.

The song became Bennett’s first hit recording in 1951 and was followed by several records that topped the charts during the next few years: “ Because of You, ” and “ Rags to Riches, ” which became one of Bennett’s signature tunes. Throughout the ’50s, Bennett released several highly regarded albums that paired him with jazz stars such as Count Basie , Stan Getz , Zoot Sims , Art Blakey , and Bobby Hackett. Although Bennett resisted being tagged a jazz singer, his work with jazz artists was always among his most praised. Bennett returned to the top of the singles charts in 1962 with his biggest hit, “ I Left My Heart in San Francisco, ” the song with which he remains most associated. Other hit recordings during the 1960s included “ I Wanna Be Around, Scientists Ponder Menopause in Killer Whales Bennett’s career lull ended once he re-signed with Columbia in 1986 and released The Art of Excellence, his most-heralded album in many years.

From that point, Bennett’s son and personal manager, Danny Bennett, began an aggressive campaign to market his father to a wider audience, and the following decade proved to be the most commercially successful and critically praised period of Bennett’s career. His albums, nearly all of them Grammy Award winners or nominees, sold in the millions. Especially noteworthy were several albums Bennett made in tribute to other artists, such as Irving Berlin (Bennett/Berlin, 1987), Frank Sinatra (Perfectly Frank, 1992), Fred Astaire (Steppin’ Out, 1993), Billie Holiday (On Holiday, 1996), and Duke Ellington (Hot & Cool: Bennett Sings Ellington, 1999). Bennett became a favourite with “Generation X” via his memorable appearance in 1993 on the MTV show Unplugged; the album of this performance, MTV Unplugged (1994), earned two Grammy Awards and remained at the top of the jazz charts for 35 weeks.

Although there was something of a “camp” factor in Bennett’s popularity with the younger generation, he also earned their respect by remaining true to himself and through his undeniable and accessible artistry. He celebrated his 80th birthday with the star-studded Duets: An American Classic (2006). Bennett was joined by a wide range of collaborators on the project, from country songstresses the Dixie Chicks to Colombian pop star Juanes to contemporary crooner Michael Bublé . Managing Dad: How Danny Bennett Helped Take Tony Bennett's 'Duets II' To No. 1 | Billboard Managing Dad: How Danny Bennett Helped Take Tony Bennett's 'Duets II' To No. 1 | October 20, 2011 12:45 PM EDT Managing Dad: How Danny Bennett Helped Take Tony Bennett's 'Duets II' To No.

1 0 0 0 Flying Together To The Moon: Danny Bennett (right) with his father/"client" Tony Bennet at last year's Whitney Gala and Studio Party at The Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City (Photo: Getty Images) "I don't just handle a career, I manage a legacy," proclaimed Danny Bennett, referencing the long-running success of father Tony Bennett, whom he has managed for over three decades. Danny Bennett has been an innovative force behind his father's team for years, though he was particularly instrumental in coordinating his latest album. "Duets II," released September 20, moved 179,000 units in its first week according to Nielsen Soundscan, making the Columbia Records veteran the oldest living artist to have a Billboard 200 No. 1 album. On this follow-up to 2006's "Duets: An American Classic," each track features Bennett in a duet with another prominent vocalist, ranging from Mariah Carey to Willie Nelson to Queen Latifah. Its release commemorates the legendary entertainer's 85th birthday, five years after "Duets: An American Classic" celebrated his 80th.

"The bar was very high after 'Duets,' said Danny Bennett. "In working 'Duets II,' I had two main goals: One was to raise our digital sales. The other was to bring our foreign sales up." Bennett claimed success on both counts. Digital sales represented about 20% (59,000 of 396,000, according to Nielsen Soundscan) of all units sold Bennett said, marking a sharp rise in his father's digital presence. In the weeks leading up to release, teaser videos were placed on iTunes, along with a free download of the Michael Buble team-up, "Don't Get Around Much Anymore." Though the United States remains Bennett's strongest market, "Duets II" fared well elsewhere as well: it peaked at #2 on the Canadian Albums Chart and at #5 on the United Kingdom Albums Chart. On the physical front, Bennett's team worked an exclusive retail deal with Target, making that chain the sole distributors of a special edition of "Duets II," which includes two additional songs and access to behind-the-scenes videos. The same tactic had proved successful with 2006's first installment in the "Duets" series.

"We have this saying - 'O.P.M.' ...other people's money," joked Bennett. In working with Target, Bennett made a strong effort to relate to the retailer's point of view, seeking out figures such as "average basket size," or the amount customers generally spent in each shopping trip. Next month, Barnes & Noble will serve as the exclusive retailer (along with Bennett's website) of "Tony Bennett: The Complete Collection," a career-spanning box set of 73 CDs and 3 DVDs. The set contains numerous rarities, including, as Bennett proudly announced, "Tony's first ever recording, singing 'St. James Infirmary Blues' while he was still with the U.S. Army following World War II." He was still a teenager at the time. "You don't release music in a vacuum," explained Danny, emphasizing the importance of time and context in the success of an album. Following the success of "Duets: II" and released in holiday shopping season while Bennett tours North America, the box set (with 200 copies personally signed by Tony) appears ready to continue the singer's banner year.

At Sony, Bennett's team includes Rob Stringer (Chairman Columbia Epic Label Group), Steve Barnett (Chairman Columbia Records), Fran DeFeo (Senior VP Media), Steve Kennedy (Senior VP of Sales and Retail Marketing), and Christian Schraga (VP of Digital Marketing). Rounding out Bennett's team are RPM Music Productions' Hadley Spanier (VP of Marketing) and Sylvia Weiner (VP of Publicity), as well as Ocean View Marketing's Jay Krugman (Marketing Consultant). Aside from marketing, "Duets II" can trace much of its success to the music itself. Currently, the Bennett team is focusing on two singles, each with a compelling backstory. After Amy Winehouse's death in July, the Tony Bennett duet "Body and Soul" took the spotlight as the UK singer's last recorded work. A close friend of the Winehouse family, Danny Bennett witnessed the great respect the two singers had for each other, and remembered how his father expressed concern in wanting to help his friend through her struggles. After the tragic news, both he and the Winehouse family agreed to pause plans for the song, leaving time for reflection.

They eventually agreed to release the single, with all proceeds going to the Amy Winehouse Foundation, set up by father Mitch Winehouse to help troubled young people. To their great satisfaction, iTunes decided to do the same with digital sales of the song. The album's other focal track is "The Lady Is A Tramp," featuring Lady Gaga, who has been riding the success of her 2011 album, "Born This Way." Along with Aretha Franklin, Gaga was a late addition to the mix, though Bennett noted their "instant chemistry" in the studio. "She was dressed like Marilyn Monroe," he said, recalling his first-hand experience with Gaga's larger-than-life persona. As the two went through several takes of the song, the younger Bennett captured the session on film, as he did with all of the album's collaborations. "'The Zen Of Tony Bennett'," he said, "is going to be a very in-depth film, one that places the studio sessions into context with his entire career. It's not just going to be a 'making of.'" Danny Bennett had played a significant role in his father's career long before the "Duets" series.

In 1994, his creative vision was a key factor in the unexpected decision to record an album in MTV's "Unplugged" series. A devoted Beatles fan, the younger Bennett also admitted to being a supporter of Generation X favorites like the Pixies and Nirvana, which influenced his decision to work his father's music to a younger generation. "In live concerts, Tony's '90s material like 'Steppin' Out With My Baby' would sometimes get a better reception than his classic songs," he explained. When the music video for that song began receiving airtime on MTV, Bennett's team began to realize how successful their bold plan had been. Following a North American tour through mid-December, the Bennett team will focus on the upcoming Grammy season, hoping voters again recognize Tony among the industry's biggest achievers. Bennett, a fifteen-time Grammy winner, claimed two awards in 2007 for "Duets: An American Classic." "Tony is definitely the favorite when it comes to that," said Bennett with a degree of time-tested certainty, expressing hope that his father would have the opportunity to perform some of "Duets: II" alongside its collaborators.

Regardless of how the Bennett family and its partners fare at Grammy time, they've once again proven themselves a dynamic force behind Tony's legend.

Question: In September 2011, who became the oldest living artist to have a number one album, with Duets II, in the US charts?
Answer: Tony Bennett